What Unites Us?

President Trump closed his Panama Beach, Florida speech on May 9th by stating, “We’re all united by the same timeless values: we believe in the American Constitution and rule of law . . .” He went on to include strong borders, strong families, and strong national defense. He spoke of the “dignity of work, sanctity of life, religious liberty, free speech, the right to keep and bear arms, that mothers and fathers - not government regulators - know best how to raise our children and teach our country’s values . . . “

Once collectively understood as American moral and public standards, these are increasingly hotly debated topics: Is our Constitution still relevant as written? How much should America spend on national defense, if any? How do we secure our borders? Or do we even bother? Should we "be allowed" to keep our guns - and our Bibles? Can we legally express our Christian faith in the marketplace, in schools or at our work?

Furthermore, how do we view the breakdown of the traditional family? Does it even matter? Do people still have the right to free speech, or should we be legally penalized for offending someone? Is human life sacred - or disposable if inconvenient? The topics are endless. And they are endlessly legislated in Washington, in statehouses across America, debated in the media and argued about over Thanksgiving dinners!

But these are very serious topics to "dig in" over. How does your own family feel about each? What do they think are the most important, and why or why not?

These are just some of the matters they will want to consider as they make decisions on how to vote in upcoming local, state and presidential elections. As former President Obama once stated, "elections have consequences." The officials American citizens elect to public office determine which consequences "we the people" get to live under. And each of them matters.